• During the Medieval Age, several social, economic and political development took place.

• The Indian society was divided on the basis varnas. During the medieval period, the gap between the rich and poor increased.

• There were, however, several communities which did not follow rules laid down by the Brahmins. These included the tribes, nomads and settled communities.

Fig: Tribes and settled communities

Tribal Societies:

(i) Tribes are people who do not follow norms laid down by society.

(ii) Most of the tribes were dependent on agriculture. Others were herders or hunter-gatherers.

(iii) Tribers were even nomadic and moved from one place to another.

(iv) There were even clashes between tribes and powerful caste-based societies.

(v) Contemporary historians and travelers from medieval India hardly give any information about the tribes.

(vi) Some of the powerful tribes were Khokhar tribe in Punjab; Languages and Arghuns in Multan; Gaddis in the Himalayas; Kolis and Beads of Gujarat; Gonds of Chhattisgarh, Bhil tribe in Central India, etc.

Pastoral Nomads:

(i) The pastoral nomads moved from one place to another with their herd of animals.